Woman In His Shadow
by Crizzel
Summary: He knew it was love at first sight. "Can I invite you for dinner?" She smiled so he smiled too but it slowly faded when he heard her words. "I'm sorry but I have a man waiting for me at home. Maybe another time, all right?" And then his world crashed.


Summary: He knew it was love at first sight. "Can I invite you for dinner?" She smiled so he smiled too but it slowly faded when he heard her words. "I'm sorry but I have a man waiting for me at home. Maybe another time, all right?" And then his world crashed.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0

Chapter 1 – Vacation

His brother was absurd when he suggested about going to the beach to _loosen_ _up, _relax and have a vacation. Especially when their trip consisted of himself_, his brother and his brother's girlfriend_, Sakura who also happens to be his co-worker. He doesn't understand why does he have to be dragged out all the way out here so that his brother can have some alone time with Sakura. Is his brother still that clingy and annoying to the point where he's still dependent on him?

But how stupid can his brother get? Going to a beach for vacation that's almost a one hour drive from Konoha.

Looking lazily at the nothing but sand he put on his shades and decided to go for a walk before he dies of boredom.

"Itachi, where are you going?"

His brother just had to ask.

"Nothing that concerns you, _Sasuke._"

And Sasuke snorted at his reply while muttering 'asshole'.

Uchiha Sasuke, his foolish little brother who finally grew some backbone and started talking back at him.

If people could see how the two interact today, then they would be surprised to know that Sasuke adored and admired his brother when he was still a child, saying that he wants to be just like him. No one could ever imagine how clingy and dependent Sasuke was too Itachi up until Sasuke started Junior High. Everything changed but it's was all right for him. He is still going to be the best big brother for Sasuke even if he wouldn't acknowledge him for it.

Walking away from Sasuke and Sakura he just walked on ahead and completely wondered off while ignoring the stares the girls were giving him. _Fan girls._

He placed his hands on the pocket of his shorts and touched something metallic.

Taking it out, he smiled and remembered how his friend, Konan squealed excitingly when she heard about him getting vacation. Telling him it's about time, and while at it he should at least find a nice girl to spend his time with other than always working.

There's nothing wrong with working hard right?

But that's not what Konan thought as she shoved the digital camera he was holding now, insisting that he should take some pictures and _enjoy_.

Opening the thing, Itachi sighed. Knowing all too well how Konan would scold him for not taking enough shots because currently, in the camera there are only pictures of his brother and Sakura. If there was him, it would be either stolen shots or shot taken by force, courtesy of Sakura.

Sakura Haruno, his co-worker who also happens to be his brother's girlfriend for almost 2 years now. Everything started during his first months at Konoha Hospital. And the two met during Sasuke's visit at the hospital to tell him that their mother wants to have them both at the main house for dinner. As his foolish brother wondered off at the hospital, the pink haired doctor has mistaken Sasuke for himself. Isn't that a little too cruel on his part?

At first they got into each other's nerves and eventually fell in love. And yes, they still do get into each other's nerves.

And as for Konan, he loves her like a sister but she's kind of pushy and annoying at times. Konan works as a paediatrician at Konoha Hospital, the same hospital he's working as the head doctor. They go way back, and by way back it means since pre-school up to college. Everyone thought that they would end up together but they didn't see things that way plus when Konan was in high school she fell in love with a guy named Pein. And since then, he and Pein have also been good friends.

Pein is an ex-marine but decided to retire and just start a business here in Konoha with Konan. They have been inseparable ever since.

"Um, excuse me."

He looked at the petite raven haired girl in front of him and wondered if she was a fan girl.

"Ano…I don't know how to put it but…" She bowed, but Itachi didn't miss how her face blushed. "Can I borrow your camera for a maybe a minute or two! Don't worry because I have a memory card with me! My camera decided to go for a swim too, but it's not waterproof so it-!"

"Here," Itachi shoved the camera at her, not letting her finish her statement. He's not using it so he doesn't mind.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

She bowed again. "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Mister…?"

"Itachi. Uchiha Itachi."

"Right. I'm Kagome, Higurashi Kagome." She introduced and held out her hand.

…

When Itachi found out that Kagome was also forced by her friends to take pictures during her vacation, he was somewhat relieved. At least he knows that he isn't the only one with that dilemma, or with that kind of friends for that matter.

And not only did Kagome borrow his camera but he also became her photographer, not that he minds besides he doesn't have anything else to do.

So now, here he was sitting at the beach having lemonade with this girl who he just met a few hours ago.

But he has to admit, she was quite amusing. With the occasional talking about herself and her observations, it was all right for him since he likes listening. By how carefree she talked, he noticed that unlike other people who would either faint or pee on their pants at his mere presence, this girl got guts.

And as she continued on with her rambling, Itachi took that time to observe her physically.

She had unbelievably fair skin that brings out her raven hair. Her tantalizing eyes are definitely a sight to behold, he has never seen so much life in those eyes before. And the way her white sun dress hugged her figures accentuates her body very well. Petite was the right word for her, and not short. Her height is just right for her.

"I thought they were losing their minds when they suggested that I should get a vacation. I got one, but they told me that it isn't called a vacation if it's just a one hour drive from home." Kagome continued on with her story and laughed as she remembered how her friends insisted on it.

That laugh.

Is like music to his ears, he has never heard something so melodic.

"Um…Itachi-san? Is something wrong with my face? Is there something on it?" She blushed, completely feeling shy about the fact that she might have been talking for hours with something on her face.

And that blushed.

How it complements her pale fair skin.

He smiled. "Nothing, I was just thinking."

"Hm? I'm sorry, I must have been talking too much again."

He shook his head. "It's quite all right, I'm not much of a talker but I like listening to other people instead." Not.

"Oh, thank you." She blushed. "I've never been complimented about my excess…talking."

"It's all right." He smiled again, earning a blush from the shy girl in front of him.

"Oh enough about me, can I ask what do you do for a living? Work?"

"I work as a full time doctor at Konoha Hospital. Although like you I was forced by my brother to take a vacation in here with his girlfriend."

Her eyes widened. "Wow! Being a doctor has been my lifelong dream! Wait…you work in Konoha so you live there right?"

"Yes,"

"Cool! I live there too!"

Oh, that instantly got his interest.

"How about you, Kagome-san what do you do for a living?"

"Drop the formalities and just call me Kagome. I'm a novelist."

She really is something. "What genre?"

"Romance, a little on over the drama side."

She doesn't look like the type to write about novels. "I don't mean to be rude but I don't think I've ever read one of your books before."

Taken a bit surprised at his reply she laughed.

"I have to say that's a first, because a lot of people have read my novels. It's quite a favourite among teenage girls." She replied before taking a sip of her lemonade.

"I'll have to ask my brother about it sometime."

"Your brother? Why him?"

"Well…he might not say it but I think he's the kind of guy that reads romance novels. He's got a girlfriend after all."

For the nth time that day, Kagome laughed.

"What made you say that?"

"I think that maybe that's where he gets his ideas in flirting."

"Isn't that stereotyping Itachi-san." She pouted. "Having a girlfriend doesn't instantly mean that he reads romance novels. After all love makes people do crazy things."

Itachi snorted. "But he's socially constipated. He can't even converse with his friends normally in more than three words."

Kagome laughed.

"Hey, you're mean!"

"But it's true."

She narrowed her eyes at him in a playful manner. "Judging by how you're talking, I say that you've never had a girlfriend!"

Itachi tensed as Kagome grinned.

"I knew it,"

"Not having a girlfriend doesn't prove anything." He stated calmly like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I know," Kagome smiled. "I've never had one too. I mean, boyfriend."

Itachi raised his brow and a smile was slowly gracing his lips. "Since birth?"

"Yup," Kagome stated proudly.

"It's quite difficult how you've become a romance novelist if you've never had any romantic experiences in your life."

"I just said that I've never had a boyfriend but I didn't say that I've never had any romantic experience in my life." She then stared at the calm ocean up ahead. "Unfortunately they all ended up bad, heartbreaks and breakups. If you've read my novels then you would know what I'm talking about. But if there's one thing that all my books have, it's the happy ending part."

He looked at her and didn't miss how her eyes changed from life to pain within a matter of seconds.

"Something I've never really had," she muttered to no one in particular but it caught Itachi's ears.

Silence.

_Ring. Ring._

Knowing all too well that it was his phone he just ignored it. Not wanting to be interrupted with Kagome.

But whoever it was whose calling, is persistent.

Unfortunately his phone's answering device went off.

"_Hey Itachi, answer your phone for once! Me and Sak are having dinner at this nice restaurant and she said that we should invite you in case you want to come which…I wouldn't advice."_

Kagome smiled as she heard everything.

"I'm assuming that's your used-to-be-socially-constipated brother huh?"

"Yes, I'm sorry but I have to go now."

"It's all right, I had fun though. Despite the fact that you and I are strangers to each other a few hours ago." Glancing at her watch, she frowned. "It's getting a little late. Are you staying in a hotel around here?"

"Yes, how about you?"

"No, because I don't have any plans of staying in here for more than a day. Some vacation huh?"

He laughed.

"I hope we could bump, into each other again in Konoha." She laughed as she put emphasis on the word _bump._

And that's when he felt it.

There's no doubt about it.

He knew it was love at first sight.

"Can I invite you for dinner? I mean, I can cancel that dinner with my brother and his girlfriend."

She smiled so he smiled too but it slowly faded when he heard her words. "I'm sorry but I have a man waiting for me at home. Maybe another time, all right?"

And then…

…his world crashed.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0

I'm sorry but was I too cruel to Itachi? Hahaha. Any suggestions or comments are welcome!

Don't forget to review if you like it :)


End file.
